The present invention relates to an improved breakfast cereal biscuit and in particular, to an improved breakfast cereal biscuit comprised of grain which is at least 20% by weight waxy grain. The present invention also relates to a method of manufacture of such improved breaks cereal biscuits.
Breakfast cereal biscuit (BCB) products make up a significant proportion of t international ready-to-eat breakfast cereal market. Some examples of BCB products available on the world market are Weet Bix (Sanitarium Health Food Company, 145 Fox Valley Road, Waroonga, NSW 2076, Australia), Weetabix (Weecabix Ltd. Burton Latimer Ketteing Northamts, NN15JR, England) and Vita Brits (The Uncle Toby""s Company Limited, Barkly Street, Wahgunya, Victoria, 3687, Australia). These products which have been available for many years are usually made from wheat, which have other optional inclusions such as flavorings, nutritional supplements, pre-puffed or pre-toasted cereals, fruits, bran, salt, sweeteners or stabilizers.
BCBs are usually marketed as biscuit typically with dimensions of about 8xc3x974xc3x972 cm as well as in an assortment of shapes such as cubes, cylinders etc. They are generally eaten with cold or hot milk and the flakes of grain within the biscuit become soft and mushy within only 2-3 minute of the addition of cold milk and quicker with hot milk. A feature of the BCBs is that the flattened grain flakes are visually discernible within the biscuit produced. This is a feature which distinguishes this type of BCB from shredded wheat biscuits wherein individual grains are not discernible.
The BCBs are generally made from the whole wheat kernel (germ, bran and endosperm), by initially hydrating and cooking the kernel a then rolling the cooked grain into very thin flakes which are then agglomerated and formed into biscuits. A description of this type of process is provided in the video entitled xe2x80x9cBreakfast is Readyxe2x80x9d, produced in 1993 by Video Education Australasia Pty Ltd, (111 Mitchell Street, Bendigo, Victoria, 3550, Australia).
An alternative method involves the grains being hydrated and cooked followed by flaking and agglomeration along with the addition of flavours, colours, fruits, etc. optional predrying and then the resultant mixture formed in the desired shapes and toasted dry to the final desired biscuit product.
Another type of grain-derived biscuit or cake can be produced from puffed whole grains, as described by Wu in U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,180. These product are produced from non-waxy rice, wheat, rye, corn and the like. The grains are conditioned to a predetermined moisture content, formed in a pre-heated mould and high temperature expanded. Consequently, the taste and texture of this products is quite distinct from the faked grain BCBs. The puffed grain biscuits or are also generally eaten in the form of a bread substitute, rather than with warm or cold milk, as is the case with the flaked grain BCBs.
Waxy grains have not generally been contemplated in the manufacture of BCBs. Waxy grains tend to become sticky when hydrated during cooking and processing steps. This often results in the cooked waxy grains forming a glue-like material and sticking to surfaces of the cooking and processing apparatus. The difficulties associated with processing waxy grain has meant that non-waxy grain has been used in the preparation of BCBs.
There are a number of drawbacks with the BCB producers currently available. One significant disadvantage is that when the BCB is combined with cold milk, the biscuit rapidly absorbs the milk and rapidly loses its crispy texture to become soft and mushy, usually within two to three minutes. The softened flakes also become capable of being dispersed into the milk very easily with a spoon. This short xe2x80x9cbowl lifexe2x80x9d, which refers to the time it takes for a cereal to become soft and mushy when immersed in cold milk, is considered by many consumers To be a disadvantage with BCB products. For example, compared with the bowl life of two to three minutes for known wheat flake BCB, corn flake cereals generally have a bowl life of five to six minutes and oven crisped rice cereals (for example Kellogg""s Rice Krispies, Kellogg Co. 235 Porter Street, Battle Creek, Mich. 49016, U.S.A.) generally exhibit a bowl life of six to seven minutes. Within the breakfast cereal industry, a bowl life of six to eight minutes is considered to be desirable.
Furthermore, attempts have been made so improve she nutritional quality of, and to add textural and flavour variety to, flaked wheat BCBs, by adding other cereal grains such as rice, rolled oats, sesame seeds etc. Such products have tended to be more expensive than the simple wheat BCBs, and have in addition been shown to produce a product which is less tender, less crisp and generally less appealing to consumers than the all-flaked wheat BCBs.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome or at least substantially ameliorate some of the problems associated with the flaked grain BCB products known to date. Other objects according to the present invention will become apparent from the following description thereof.
It has been surprisingly found by the present inventors that by producing BCBs from grain which is at least 20% by weight waxy grain, it is possible to produce a flaked grain BCB product which exhibits extended bowl life, has improved nutritional qualities and is tender and crisp in texture. In particular, BCBs produced from waxy barley develop pleasant natural malted flavours without the need for malty flavour additions, at the same time as requiring reduced energy in the manufacturing process, when compared with standard BCBs produced form flakes of wheat.
Thus, according to one embodiment of the present invention there is provided a breakfast cereal biscuit comprising grain wherein said grain includes waxy grain in an amount of at least 20% by weight of total grain content.
Preferably waxy grain comprises at last 30% by weight, more preferably 90% by weight, most preferably 100% by weight of total grain content.
Preferably the waxy grain is selected from barley, corn, wheat, rice and sorghum, more preferably the waxy grain is barley.
In a particularly preferred embodiment the barley is hydrated to a moisture content of up to 30%, more preferably from 24to 29%, most preferably about 29% w/w.
The BCB of the invention contains flaked waxy grain which typically has been processed by hydration and cooking of the grain either sequentially or simultaneously or both, rolled into flaked, agglomerated into a desired biscuit shape, and toasted. Alternatively the rolled grain is toasted prior to agglomeration into the desired biscuit shape.
One advantage of using waxy grain, in particular barley, is that the processed flakes can be agglomerated without the need for additives such as binders, salt, flavours and other agents to prepare a suitable flaked grain BCB produce.
Nonetheless it is sometimes desirable to add one or more of other grain or grain products, nuts, fruits, fruit juice, nutritional supplements, flavours, colours, salt, sweeteners, stabilisers and the like in the preparation of the biscuits.
According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a process for producing a breakfast cereal biscuit comprising the steps of:
a) selecting grain which includes waxy grain in an amount of at least 20% by weight of total grain content;
b) hydrating and cooking said grain either sequentially or simultaneously or both,
c) rolling cooked grain into flakes; and either
d) agglomerating the flakes of step c) into a desired biscuit shape; and
e) toasting the product of step d); or
f) toasting the flakes of step c); and
g) agglomerating the product of step f) into a desired biscuit shape.
Throughout this specification is the context requires otherwise, the word xe2x80x9ccomprisexe2x80x9d, or variations such as xe2x80x9ccomprisesxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9ccomprisingxe2x80x9d or the term xe2x80x9cincludesxe2x80x9d or variations thereof, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element or integer of group of elements or integers but not exclusion of any other element or integer or group of elements or integers. In this regard, in constructing the claim scope, embodiment where one or more features is added to any of the claims is to be regarded as within scope of the invention given that the essential features of the invention as claimed are included in such an embodiment.
Throughout this specification and the appended claims, it is intended that the team xe2x80x9cbreakfast cereal biscuitxe2x80x9d or the abbreviation xe2x80x9cBCBxe2x80x9d means a biscuit produced from the agglomeration of flaked cereal grains. Such biscuits are usually consumed in conjunction with warm or cold milk.
Breakfast cereal biscuits are generally intended to be consumed as a breakfast meal, in conjunction with milk or a milk substitute. Milk substitutes may include for example, soy milk or even fruit juice or water, all of which have the effect of reducing the crispness of the BCB at least to some extent. Naturally however, it is possible for BCBs to be consumed as a meal or snack at other times of the day, or without the addition of milk or a milk substitute. For example, some consumers may wish to use the BCBs as a base for toppings such as butter, jam, honey or even savoury toppings such as ham and cheese. Up until the present time there has been no consideration given to production of BCBs from waxy grains. What is meant by xe2x80x9cwaxy grainxe2x80x9d is grin wherein about 10% or less of the starch present within the grain is in the form of amylose. As will be understood by persons skilled in the art, barley, oats and rice are comprised of four major components, namely the hull or husk, the bran, the germ and the endosperm, however, some varieties of barley and oats lack a hull layer, and are known as naked varieties. The bran layer includes fibre and protein with some vitamins and minerals. The endosperm is comprised of carbohydrate, in the form of starch and protein, and the germ includes fat, protein and fibre as well as same vitamins and minerals. In the case of waxy grains, most of the starch present within the endosperm is in the form of amylopectin, rather than a mixture of amylopectin and amylose present in non-waxy grain. The waxy grains contemplated by the present invention include waxy grain of barley, corn (maize), sorghum (milo), rice and wheat as well as other varieties of grain or starchy seeds which contain 10% or less of their starch content as amylose. It is also intended that the waxy can be combined with other waxy grains so that, for example, waxy barley can be combined with waxy corn. It is also intended that the BCBs according to the present invention can be produced from a combination of waxy and non-waxy grain, as long as there is at least 20% of total grain weight comprised of waxy grain. Preferably, however, at least 50% of the total grain weight will be comprised of waxy grain, more preferably at least 75 %. Particularly preferably, waxy grain will comprise at least 90% of the total grain weight, an most particularly preferred is the situation where waxy grain is present in the BCB product to the exclusion of non-waxy grain. Preferably the waxy grain is waxy barley.
The general process followed in producing the breakfast cereal biscuits according to the invention is that the grain, which should be of good quality, is initially cleaned and graded as desired to ensure that it is free of infestations, dirt or stones. Grains which have hulls will need to be dehulled. It is then possible, if desired, to fully or partially remove the bran layer. For example, 5-15% of the outer bran may be removed. It is to be stressed however, that this removal of bran is purely optional, and is conducted in order to aid the process of hydration of the grain or to modify the eating quality of the final food. It is also optional to crack the grain (without excessive damage) for example by passage through a roller mill. This process will aid moisture absorption.
The grain is to be hydrated and cooked, and these steps may be conducted separately or in combination For example, hydration can be conducted simply by steeping the grain in water or condition to the require moisture content by methods well known in the grain processing industry. It is possible at this stage, if stage, id desired, also to add sugars, salts or other flavorings or additives for example by dissolving the added material(s) in the water absorbed. Following hydration the grain may be cooked, for example, in an autoclave or rotary steam pressure cooker. Equally however, the cooking may to be conducted without any prior hydration step, such that the hydration of the grain takes place during the cooking. Other materials such as sugars, salt, malt and other flavorings or additives may be added to the cooking process. A third option is to combine these two hydration methods by partiality hydrating the grains prior to cooking followed by addition of the balance of moisture during the cook phase. The moisture content to which the grain is hydrated is dependent upon grain type. Preferably, the moisture contents of the grain is increased to at least about 17-18% during the hydration and cooking stages depending upon grain type and characteristics desired in the final product. In some cases however, hydration of the grain may be substantiality higher, so that the grain will comprise nearly 50% moisture content. It is important, however, that the grain is not overly moist when the process of rolling into flakes is conducted, so if the moisture is excessively high at this stage, the flakes will lose their integrity during the rolling process and material may adhere to the rollers.
As will be well understood, there is a considerable degree of flexibility associated with the moisture content, cooling time and temperature. The overall objectives of the hydration and cooking steps are to increase the moisture content of the grain and to soften the grain in preparation for rolling. The addition of moisture also aids gelatimisation of starch during heat application. As will also be understood, it is generally the case that the adoption of increased cooking temperature will require decreased cooking time. For example, it may be appropriate to cook the grain for between about 20 minutes and about 90 minutes at temperatures ranging between about 100xc2x0 C. and 180xc2x0 C. During the cooking phase, substantially all of the starch within the grain will have been gelatinised Unfortunately, the cooking process rends to destroy many of the vitamins, such as B group vitamins, which may be present in the uncooked grain. Of course, by requiring a lesser period of cooking the produces of this invention lose a lesser amount of the contained natural vitamins. Nonetheless, it may therefore be appropriate to add various nutrients, flavours and the like to the flakes, at any suitable stage of the process. Such additives include vitamins, minerals or other nutritional supplements, flavours, colours, salt, sweeteners and/or stabilisers.
If it is necessary for the moisture content of the cooked grain to be reduced following the cooking step, this may conveniently be conducted by allowing the cooked grain to air-dry, either in ambient air or by exposing the cooked grain to warm air for a period of time.
Upon completion of the cooking step, and the above described drying step if necessary, the cooked grain is passed through a roller mill which is set at a very fine gap, in order to produce preferably between about 0.01 mm and about 0.2 mm or greater, depending upon grain size and type. After rolling, the flake produced remain integral and can then be agglomerated and formed into the did biscuit shape.
xe2x80x9cAgglomerationxe2x80x9d is intended to mean the related processes of binding the grain flakes together and forming into the desired biscuit shape. In one form of the invention, agglomeration is achieved simply by allowing the flakes to fall onto a moving conveyor belt such that the flakes pile upon one another to form a mat of desired thickness. Naturally, the speed of the conveyor will determine the mat thickness. The flakes can then be passed through a press to compress the mat and to aid in binding the flakes together. It has been found that flakes produced from wheat are generally quite sticky due to addition of salt during the hydration or cooking phase. The added salt appears to aid in improving adhesion of the flaked grains in the agglomeration step. One advantage of using waxy grains like barley is that salt addition is not necessary in order to bind the grain flakes.
Once the mat of agglomerated flakes has been compressed to the appropriate thickness, it may be cut into the desired biscuit shape. Generally, this will be a bar or cuboid shape although the formation of other shapes is equally possible if desired.
It is also possible for the agglomeration step to take place by placing flakes within perforated moulds of the desired shape, compressing the flakes and then removal of the shaped biscuit from the mould after toasting. This alternative process of agglomeration is somewhat more labour intensive than the formation of a mat which can be compressed and cut, although it does provide more flexibility in the nature of biscuit shapes which can be produced.
An alternative method for BCB production involves the toasting of the grain flakes prior to agglomeration into the desired shapes. This may be preferred if additional of heat sensitive components or other additions are required where they will be added during the agglomeration or after.
At the time of agglomeration it may also be appropriate for other components to be added to the biscuit. For example, it is possible at this stage, as mentioned above, for nutritional supplements such as vitamins or minerals, flavours, colours, salt, sweeteners and/or stabilisers to be added. It is also possible however, for other grains or grain products, nuts, fruits or grain products, it is intended to mean that for example, pre-rolled, pre-puffed or pre-toasted grains or grain components may be included within the biscuit form. The addition of such components may favourably alter the flavour and/or texture of the final BCB product.
Following the agglomeration step which includes shaping into the desired biscuit shape, the formed biscuits optionally are toasted. During the toasting phase, the biscuit are heated to between about 110xc2x0 C. to about 240xc2x0 C. for a period of between about 30 seconds and about 30 minutes depending on the desired result, in order to reduce the moisture content from between around 16-50% to between about 1-8%. During this toasting stage, the biscuits will undergo texture, flavour and colour changes associated with the moisture content reduction and heat application. Also, volume reductions during toasting of between 5-20% cm be expected.
As with the cooking step described above, there is significant flexibility associated with the time and temperature adopted when toasting the BCB product. Toasting may be conducted by means well known in the art, for example by utilisation of a forced hot air toaster, or by baking in a hot oven.
The product, once toasted and formed if required, is then ready for packaging and distribution.
In one optional form of the invention the toasted biscuit may be coated with a coverture as desired, for example with chocolate, yoghurt, honey, sugar glaze, or filled with flavouring etc.
It has been surprisingly found by the present inventors that utilising mixture which comprises at least 20% by weight waxy grain, results in a BCB product which exhibits greatly increased bowl life. By way of illustration, as will be shown in the following examples and accompanying drawing (FIG. 1), a BCB product which includes 100% of grain weight of waxy barley, exhibits a bowl life of around eight minutes, which is significantly improved relative to the bowl life obtained for non-waxy wheat BCBs, as currently commercially available, of around three mixture or less.
Another significant advantage of the present invention is that it has been surprisingly found that the energy requirement associated with cooking BCBs produced from substantially waxy grains is quite significantly reduced relative to the energy requirements for cooking BCB products produced from non-waxy grain. This surprising result is of significant commercial importance, and means that the overall production costs of the BCBs of the invention is markedly reduced relative to that of known BCBs. For example, no manufacture BCBs from when, cooking requirement was 75 minutes at 127xc2x0 C. followed by toasting at 160xc2x0 C., 15 minutes. This contrasts the condition for waxy barley which requires cooking for 30 minutes at 125xc2x0 C. followed by toasting at 130xc2x0 C. for 15 minutes.
It has also been found that the BCBs produced from some waxy grains, especially those produced from waxy barley, develop an appealing malted flavour and rich golden brown colour, without the need of any additional sugars or mark in order to produce this improved flavour and colour profile. Importantly also, BCBs produced from waxy grains, and again particularly waxy barley, have significant nutritional relative to the commercially available BCB product. Some waxy grains appear to contain an increased level of dietary fibre and particularly soluble fibre, relative to their non-waxy counterparts. For example, waxy barley contains 14.7% dietary fibre and less than 6% soluble fibre, whereas non-waxy wheat comprises only 11% dietary fibre and less than 1% soluble fibre (David Oakenfull, Food Applications for Barley, presented at 5th International Oat Conference and 7th International Barley Genetics Symposium Saskatoon. August 1996). Waxy barley is also high in xcex2-glucan content, which is a particularly beneficial form of soluble fibre (McIntosh, G. H. et al., Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 1991, 53:5, pp 1205-1209; Uusitupa, M. I. et al, J. Am. Coll. Nutr. 1992, 11:6, pp 651-659). Soluble dietary fibres are defined as the non-cellulose fraction of the NSP-hermicelluloses which include the (1 3) (1 4) mixed linkage (xcex2-glucans, pectins, gums and mucilages (Oakenfull ibid).
A further, surprising attribute of the present invention is that product wastage is markedly reduced due to a reduced tendency for the BCB product to break or form dust. This has obvious economic benefits, as well as being appealing to consumers who will be less likely to receive broken or damaged products.
Another surprising attribute of the invention is that BCBs produced from waxy bailer do not require added salt, is necessary in commercial wheat BCBS.